I understand that Pope John Paul II believed that the Virgin
Mary stopped the bullet which nearly ended his life.

Exactly
how did she do this?

I'm thinking it was through her intercession,
but wouldn't it have been better to say that God stopped the
bullet on account of her prayers?

Perhaps that's what the Pope meant; I'm confused about this. The same goes for the consecration of Russia. In a prayer,
the Pope asked the Blessed Mother to "deliver us".
Again, I'm thinking he meant for God's deliverance.

Also, do Catholics believe in a spirit of Mary, similar
to the Holy Spirit?

Thanks,

Brenda

{
Who saved the Pope and do Catholics believe in a spirit of Mary, similar
to the Holy Spirit? }

John replied:

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for the question.

I believe this is part of the story.

Just as he was shot he was bending over to look and bless a medal
of Our Lady of Fatima, which a little girl was wearing. Had he been
upright, the bullet would have killed him.

John

Mike replied:

Hi Brenda,

You said:

I'm thinking it was through her intercession,
but wouldn't it have been better to say that God stopped the
bullet on account of her prayers?

As Catholics we honor those that God honors, not because either
the Saint or Our Blessed Mother did something on their own, but because all they
do, they do, in and through Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

You said:

Also, do Catholics believe in a "spirit of Mary", similar
to the Holy Spirit?

No! Catholics do not believe in a "spirit
of Mary" in any way similar to the Holy Spirit, who is God.
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity and though the Blessed Mother is the human spouse of the Holy Spirit, she is totally human. We don't worship Mary.

Catholics do have a great love for Our Blessed Mother for a good reason.

When you share the Gospel with a non-Christian, you are an instrumental means of salvation for them and because you are "In Christ", you are a co-mediator with Jesus called to preach the Gospel to the world. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) This is what He intended us to do. Read the end of Matthew's Gospel. In the same way, Mary was the instrumental means of salvation for all mankind. Without Mary's "yes" to God the Father, and the angel Gabriel, Jesus could never have become incarnate-God, meaning a man. Nevertheless, neither you nor Mary saved the non-Christian by yourselves, but both of you help in assisting that non-Christian to know and learn about who Jesus is and the Catholic Church He founded.

That Mary was saved by God. Sacred Tradition and history
tell us this was done in anticipation of the work
of Our Lord. She was born immaculate, with no original
sin on her soul, in anticipation of the merits of
Our Lord's Passion and Death on Calvary.

That all generations would call her
blessed.

How many Bible-believing
Protestants obey the Scriptures in Luke 1:48 and refer to
Mary as the Blessed
Mother?

Note that the Scriptures state and the Church teaches
"generations would call her blessed", not divine. Again, Catholics don't worship Mary in any way.

Hope this helps.

Mike

Terry replied:

Hi Brenda,

Thanks for the question.

I have never heard the expression "the Spirit of Mary" and despite a little
research, I cannot find any reference to this

Certainly, it is always the Godhead who works any miracle. By its very
definition, only God can work a miracle, but Mary (indeed, anyone, including
the Saints in Heaven, or the souls in Purgatory) can intercede for us.
Mary's intercession is especially powerful, since she is the closest human
to God, as evidenced by her Immaculate Conception.

Terry

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